


Mountain

by punk_rock_yuppie



Series: I Will Help You Swim [3]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Friendly intervention, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-25 16:27:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6202570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_rock_yuppie/pseuds/punk_rock_yuppie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>for the warning signs I've completely ignored</i>
</p>
<p>Cisco, Caitlin, and Iris stage an intervention of sorts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mountain

**Author's Note:**

> originally I had this tacked on to the previous installment (heartsick) but i decided i wanted it to be separate so that heartsick was more powerful on its own. and then i decided instead of being three parts, this series will be four! so here's part three of four, and hopefully part four will be up tomorrow.
> 
> enjoy!

“Okay, Barry Allen, spill.”

 Barry looks up from his case file to see Cisco, Iris, and Caitlin surrounding him. “Uh. What?”

Iris’ arms are crossed and she looks _pissed_. Caitlin, too, looks less than pleased but her expression is a bit less intense. Cisco just looks like a kicked puppy and it tugs on Barry’s heartstrings.

Caitlin pipes up first. “You haven’t been yourself lately.”

Barry tilts his head in confusion. “I feel fine…?”

Cisco jumps in next. “You’ve been way quieter, dude. You never go out for drinks after we’re done with Flash stuff, you haven’t been coming over, and you barely do anything that isn’t work, eat, and sleep.” He holds up a finger with each example then holds his hand up for Barry to see, as if to say _don’t you get it?_

Barry closes the case file and scratches absently at the back of his neck. “I—I wasn’t really doing that before.” He admits. “I’ve just been really tired lately.” It’s a fib and they all know it.

Finally, Iris butts in. “ _Before_ you didn’t come out with us because you were _seeing_ someone.” She’s nearly shouting and no amount of crazed gestures from Barry can get to her quiet down. “Don’t try to deny it. We all know that _look_.”

“What look?” He snaps.

“The I’m-getting-laid-on-a-regular-basis-and-am-kind-of-in-love look!” Iris shouts, gathering the attention of a passing officer in the hallway. “You had the same look on your face with Patty.” She accuses while pointing a finger at Barry. “But now you’re just quiet and withdrawn and you _don’t_ have that dumb look on your face when you think we aren’t paying attention.”

Barry’s face feels like it is on fire. He reopens the file and busies himself with reading it again. He doesn’t respond to any piece of Iris’ accusation and pretends his three friends aren’t looming behind him. He speed reads through the file, even though he knows he won’t retain a single detail at the end of the day, and reaches for another file to read.

Cisco smacks his hand then snatches up the stack of files. “No, dude, enough.” He admonishes, turning from kicked puppy to agitated owner. Barry wrinkles his nose at the metaphor, even if he’s the one who came up with it. Too weird.

“Look, Barry,” Caitlin’s voice cuts through his thoughts and she lays a hand on his shoulder. “We don’t know who you were seeing, don’t really _care_ …”

“I really don’t want to know who my brother’s been sleeping with,” Iris interjects.

Caitlin gives her an exasperated look. “But, regardless of who it is, they obviously made you very happy. So… I guess, we’re just telling you to fix whatever it is you broke.”

Barry’s blush burns brighter and he’s ashamed at the way his voice squeaks with indignation. “How do you know _I_ broke it? Maybe the other person broke it!” The unimpressed stares of his friends quell his argument pretty quick. “I didn’t break anything—there wasn’t anything to break! It was just s-sex!”

Cisco just laughs. “Really, dude? Because you totally had that look on your face.”

“I don’t have looks on my face!” Barry snaps again.

“You really do, Bar.” Iris steps forward and Cisco and Caitlin counter by stepping away. Iris looks Barry in the eyes with an unwavering glare. “So whatever it is you did, you should fix it.”

“I don’t even know what I did!” Okay, that’s a lie too, and it’s pretty clear Iris realizes that even if Cisco and Caitlin don’t. Barry’s heart starts to race as he realizes Iris is picking him apart with skills developed only by knowing someone for most of your life.

Iris turns and shoos Cisco and Caitlin away and the leave without protest. Iris leaves Barry at his desk just long enough to pull over a chair. “Okay, Barry, seriously. Spill.”

Barry groans and drops his face into his hands. “Joe caught us on the couch.” His face burns worse than before and Iris’ aborted snicker doesn’t help. “Then he asked L—the guy to stay.” Barry peeks through his fingers to measure Iris’ reaction. She just gestures impatiently for him to continue. “I started freaking out because it was just supposed to be sex!” It’s like a dam has broken inside Barry and he can’t shut himself up, now. “It was just supposed to be _sex_ , and yeah okay we never talked about it in detail but I mean—this guy, I didn’t think he really did relationships at all, so why would he want one with me of all people?”

Iris’ expression turns pitying. “Barry, you know you’re a great guy!”

“That’s not what I mean, just, that y’know. We kind of have a history together and that history coupled with, just, what kind of guy he is, I didn’t think dating was even on the table. I wasn’t even sure I wanted it to be on the table!” Barry’s hands dart around as emphasis to his words. “But then Joe is asking him to stay for dinner and he _agrees_ , he jokes about it, and I could tell he was kind of freaking out too but he was, I dunno, fine with staying for dinner!”

“And you let him get away?” Iris asks.

“I—what?”

“This guy was ready to sit down to dinner with my dad even though you guys weren’t super serious, and you let him get away?”

Barry falters over his next words. “I didn’t mean to? I made, I made a really dumb comment and then he was leaving and he was gone before I could catch him.”

Iris nods and takes in the words. “So, you just let him leave? You haven’t tried to get ahold of him?”

“And say what, _hey I actually really like you more than just hooking up and want to date_?”

Iris rolls her eyes so drastically it’s almost terrifying. “Yes, you idiot! That’s exactly what you say!” She smacks his arm just enough to sting. “You’re so hopeless, I can’t believe someone can be this ridiculous.”

Barry scowls at his shoes. “I tried talking to him but I don’t think he wants to talk to me anymore.”

“I doubt that. You probably just freaked him out.” Iris shrugs. “And you probably really hurt him, cuz it sounds like he actually wanted to meet Joe.”

Barry sighs but eventually relents with a nod. Iris looks far too pleased with herself.

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” She assures to the chorus of another groan from Barry.


End file.
